Cruise-A-Home Growth

The Cruise-A-Home was a unique vessel manufactured at 1028 Norton Avenue for more than a decade. It had the comfort of a houseboat, the seaworthiness of a fishing boat, and the speed of a cruiser. When the Cruise-A-Home was first introduced in 1968, many thought it a strange looking craft with its one level houseboat superstructure mounted on a deep-V hull adapted from a fishing boat design. But even the detractors had to admit the vessel was capable of comfortable, fast cruising in virtually any condition. Warren Jensen was the founder and president of Cruise-A-Home, Inc. He conceived the idea for a houseboat/cruiser in the mid-1960s and then developed the original drawings. In a 2009 interview, Jensen and his son Gordon, who also was involved in the business, explained that their very first Cruise-A-Home was a 37-foot they built in Arlington, Washington. The boat was an unqualified success at the Seattle Boat Show and the Jensens knew they had a market for their product. “We formed a small corporation with about a dozen investors.” The Jensens owned the largest block of stock. Reinell, an experienced boat builder, became the vice president of the manufacturing, and production soon was under way. The first production model was a 40-footer (actually 39 feet, 11 inches) with a 270 horsepower Mercruiser engine. All the comforts of home were included, with sleeping accommodations for up to six people. The company proudly boasted the Cruise-A-Home was the first cruiser hull “houseboat” to be designed and manufactured in the Pacific Northwest for Northwest cruising. A new one that first year sold about $18,500. In subsequent years, power was increased by adding a second engine. Later, two 31-foot models were introduced. They were the Crusader 31 and Caprice 31, which had a slightly narrower cabin. The Corsair 40, however, remained the most popular model. By 1979, Warren Jensen was still president and the firm had built and sold more than 500 Cruise-A-Homes since its inception. In a July 16, 1979 Everett Herald article, Jensen said, “We had a lot of success with our cruising houseboats because they combined a lot of living space with a powerboat hull that could take the Puget Sound waters.” Everett businessman Ed Rubatino’s family had two Cruise-A-Homes over the years. The Rubatinos appreciated the vessel and the attention the company gave to customer satisfaction. Ed Rubatino recalled the Cruse-A-Home that was customized for Mukilteo businessmen Dick and Ed Taylor. Dick was 6’8” and his brother Ed was nearly that tall. The cabin height in their craft was increased by six inches to accommodate the brothers. Bob Newman, sidekick to local TV clown J.P. Patches, had three different Cruise-A-Homes.